- Enrollment
- 465
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Indianola, MS
Robert L Merritt Junior High School
Federal NCES profile for Robert L Merritt Junior High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 280018701421
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Robert L Merritt Junior High School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 83% of Mississippi schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Indianola · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11:1
- small classes for Mississippi
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Robert L Merritt Junior High School has class sizes smaller than 83% of Mississippi schools. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Robert L Merritt Junior High School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Indianola, MS.
School address
District: Sunflower Cty Cons School District · Mississippi
NCES ID 280018701421 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-34 students YoY
Robert L Merritt Junior High School shrank from 410 students in 2022-23 to 376 in 2023-24 (-8.3%).
Teacher FTE lost 31.3 → 28.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-34 students YoY 280018701421 · Indianola, MS Other · SMALL · TRAD
341 enr · 11:1 · 100.0% lunch · RII 29
Nearest enrollment peer: Gentry High School (465 students)
Robert L Merritt Junior High School shrank from 410 students in 2022-23 to 376 in 2023-24 (-8.3%). Teacher FTE lost 31.3 → 28.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Mississippi schools → · Find another →
Robert L Merritt Junior High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Gentry High Sc
Gentry High School
465 students
- Lockard Elemen
Lockard Elementary School
393 students
- This school
Robert L Merritt Junior High School
341 students
- Thomas E. Edwa
Thomas E. Edwards Sr. High School
331 students
- Ruleville Cent
Ruleville Central Elem School
271 students
- Carver Element
Carver Elementary School
250 students
What this shows Robert L Merritt Junior High School reports 341 students on the CCD universe file.
How Robert L Merritt Junior High School compares
Robert L Merritt Junior High School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11:1 | ▼ 17% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 24% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 341 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11:1
Leaner classes than 83% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
341
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% above the Mississippi average of 80.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 17% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
44.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$14,163
per pupil, district-wide
- above Mississippi avg of $13,683
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 341 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 247 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 73.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
Student demographics
African American 91.2%
Two or More 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 2.3%
White 1.2%
Largest group: African American at 91.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.5, Robert L Merritt Junior High School is less mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
District finance for Sunflower Cty Cons School District reports $14,163 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Robert L Merritt Junior High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gentry High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lockard Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas E. Edwards Sr. High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ruleville Central Elem School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carver Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Robert L Merritt Junior High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 393
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 331
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 271
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 250
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~341 students)
Frequently asked questions about Robert L Merritt Junior High School
How many students attend Robert L Merritt Junior High School?
Robert L Merritt Junior High School has 341 students enrolled. It is a public school in Indianola, MS. CCD year-over-year: 410 (2022-23) → 376 (2023-24), down 34.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Robert L Merritt Junior High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Robert L Merritt Junior High School is 11:1, which is 17% lower than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 30% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Robert L Merritt Junior High School?
100.0% of students at Robert L Merritt Junior High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Robert L Merritt Junior High School?
The largest demographic group at Robert L Merritt Junior High School is African American at 91.2% of enrollment, in Indianola, MS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Robert L Merritt Junior High School?
Robert L Merritt Junior High School has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Robert L Merritt Junior High School rank among public schools in Indianola?
By Resource Investment Index, Robert L Merritt Junior High School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Indianola, MS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Sunflower Cty Cons School District?
Besides Robert L Merritt Junior High School, Sunflower Cty Cons School District also operates Gentry High School (465 students), Lockard Elementary School (393 students), and Thomas E. Edwards Sr. High School (331 students). See the Sunflower Cty Cons School District district page for the complete list.